Shooting Ektar 100. Rate at box speed or 50?

[Kupo43]

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Hello Kupo43,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

If you pick up a roll of Ektar 100 & hold it horizontally with the little nubbin to your left & then tell us the colors in the 6 boxes on the top row: Reading left to right: For example: white - black - white - black - white - black 

 

And then read us the lower row in the same manner:

 

I will tell you what those 12 little boxes would tell an M7 to do.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Top: WBWBW

Bot: WBBWW

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Kupo43,

 

Thank you for writing back.

 

I think we have to try again because the coding system is based on 6 (six) boxes across the top level & 6 (six) boxes across the bottom level.

 

Each of your lines is only 5 (five) boxes.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

[Kupo43]

Hello Kupo43,

 

Thank you for writing back.

 

I think we have to try again because the coding system is based on 6 (six) boxes across the top level & 6 (six) boxes across the bottom level.

 

Each of your lines is only 5 (five) boxes.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

 

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Kupo43,

 

Thank you,

 

Counting from the left: 1 thru 6 are the top row. 7 thru 12 are the bottom row.

 

1 & 7 are the 2 connected boxes on the left side in the photo, top & bottom respectively, they are always white/silver. They are the electrical/optical connectors.

 

"B" = black, "W" = white/silver

 

So: To read 2 thru 6, we read: B - W - B - W - B

 

       To read 8 thru 12, we read: B - B - W - W - B

 

2 thru 6 is the combination of blocks that give the ISO beginning with 25/15 & ending with 5,000/38

 

B - W - B - W - B is the combination of boxes which indicate the BOX SPEED of the film in question. This also tells the camera's electronics what to show when a camera indicates the ISO of the film in the camera itself.

 

More to come.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

 

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Kupo43,

 

I'm back.

 

B - W - B - W - B is the code for ISO 100/21.

 

This means: This is the speed written on the box & this is the speed that the camera will display if it displays the ISO of the film in the camera.

 

Next we come to the group of boxes: 8 - 9 - 10

 

These 3 boxes tell the camera the number of exposures total on the roll. This is important because it could tell some types of electronically governed cameras/motors how many exposures were left on the roll & when to stop running without the photographer having to remember to set anything.

 

B - B - W  is a 36 exposure roll.

 

The reason for 3 digits to do this with is: When this system started their were more lengths of film for photographers to choose from with 35mm films than are available today. Beyond today's 24 & 36:  Lengths available in a standard cassette also included 12, 20, 27 & 72. More different lengths were expected in the future.

 

Next come 11 - 12

 

11 & 12 together tell the camera what the ACTUAL ISO is & what the film's LATITUDE is when using the standard processing on the box for the film when the ISO is set to the ACTUAL film speed.

 

Which means: If you are using a separate meter & you set the ACTUAL speed on that meter: Still use the normal processing on the box with NO adjustments in processing IF the ISO from 11 - 12 is different than the ISO on the box.

 

W - B means that the ISO on the box is the actual ISO of the film & that the film is moderately contrasty without a great degree of margin for error in determining exposure. But there is a little room of about +/- of 1/2 stop of latitude of the box speed to subjectively determine exposure of a normal subject in a scene of normal contrast. This is because W - B also means that the total latitude in a normal scene of normal contrast is +/- 1 stop.

 

How does reading the Dx code on the cartridge compare with your experience with the film?

I hope that this has been helpful.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

[Kupo43]

Holy information dump Michael. Thank you for the insight, I'll study up on this!

[DezFoto]

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I find it's best to shoot Ektar at box speed, it's not as tolerant to over/under exposure as most print film and colours start shift quickly with over exposure. 

[Guest )-(]

Some of us more than once...

I spent the last two weeks of my recent family holiday getting constantly reminded (albeit I was using BW film by now) 'you've got the yellow filter on dad' after a disappointing morning at Tintagel with a roll of Ektar. My cursing and wailing helped train my kids well!

 

The empty camera on a golden afternoon in picturesque Llangollen was more disappointing, first time I've ever made that mistake. Hmm, I wasn't expecting a 38th shot, a 39th... Of course they were the 36 greatest shots I've (n)ever taken! But at least with the yellow filter stuff up you get nice monochrome scans!

 

On the topic of Ektar, I tend to just use it at box speed and meter accordingly, it really shines when exposure is just right. I prefer to avoid 'artificial' exposure compensation by rating film faster but i'm shooting on manual and would always still err on overexposure in a pinch or bracket if it's worth it.

[Martin B]

I shoot Ektar 100 with the rated ASA 100 number and overexpose at least 1/2 stop in each frame. Sometimes even 1 or 1.5 stops depending on the situation. Definitely expose the film for the shadows! Otherwise shadows with Ektar easily get a bluish tint. So far Ektar 100 is my favorite low ASA color film. Some recent examples which I shot with Ektar 100 and home-developed with C-41 process:

 

Leica M7, Leica 35/2 (version IV)

 

 

 

Leica M7, CV 12/5.6

[skucera]

Martin,

 

I love your pictures of this old mill. Beautiful. Where is it?

 

Thanks for the tip to expose for the shadows with Ektar.

 

Scott

[Martin B]

Martin,

 

I love your pictures of this old mill. Beautiful. Where is it?

 

Thanks for the tip to expose for the shadows with Ektar.

 

Scott

 

Thanks for your kind comments, Scott! The photos were taken at Batsto Village in NJ two weeks ago. Great place to visit, also ideal for B&W film photography. 

Martin

[philipus]

A cracking shot Martin.

 

I shoot Ektar 100 with the rated ASA 100 number and overexpose at least 1/2 stop in each frame. Sometimes even 1 or 1.5 stops depending on the situation. Definitely expose the film for the shadows! Otherwise shadows with Ektar easily get a bluish tint. So far Ektar 100 is my favorite low ASA color film. Some recent examples which I shot with Ektar 100 and home-developed with C-41 process:

 

Leica M7, Leica 35/2 (version IV)